Packing-case



' (No Model.)

1-". P. HARDEN.

PAGKING CASE.

No. 344,103. Patented June 22, 1886.

IIIII H WWW NlTED STATES PATENT PACKING-CASE.

SPEQ'IEIQATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 344,103, dated June 22, 1886.

Application filed November 16, 1585. Serial No. 182,953. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK P. Hxnnnn, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Packing-Gases, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in portable packing-cases; and the novelty consists in the peculiar construction and combination of parts, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

The primary object of my invention is to provide means whereby the entire area of the inclosing vessel-or shell is employed or utilized for packing and storing articles of various kinds; to provide means whereby, when the vessel or shell is opened, the contents thereof can be exposed to view, and said vessel is adapted for use as adisplay or showcase, and to combine simplicity, strength,and durability of construction with thorough effectiveness of operation and cheapness of manufacture.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved case, showing the extensible folding rack in position for displaying the contents of the case.- Fig. 2 is a like view ofthc case or shell, showing the rack folded; and Fig. 3 is a central vertical sectional view of the sections of the case folded together.

Referring to the drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures- A designates the inclosing shell or case, preferably made rectangular or square in form, and said case is made in two sections, an upper and lower, B C, respectively, so as to provide two receptacles, which sections are hinged together at one edge, as at a. The sections are preferably made of equal depth, and when the device is used as a show or exhibition case the section 0 rests on the counter or shelf and receives a part of the articles to be exhibited, and the upper section,B, is provided with a rack, D, that is adapted to be folded therein or extended therefrom, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings, to display or exhibit the articles carried thereby.

The rack D is made in two sections, D D hinged or pivoted together, as at d, and each comprising side bars or strips, 0, and transverse shelves e, suitably secured to the side bars and arranged at a suitable interval apart. The upper section, D, is hinged or pivoted to the section B of the case, as at 9, so as to permit the rack to fold within and be extended therefrom, when desired; and when the rack is in its extended unfolded position to display the articles contained or held thereon the section B of the case A is arranged at approximately a right angle to the section 0 of said case, and the lower section, D of the rack rests on the outer edge of said lower case-section O, as shown.

The lower faces of the side bars of the racksection D are beveled off so as to bear firmly against the side walls of the inclosing-shell or case-section 0 when the device is adjusted for use as a show or exhibition case, and the shelves 6 are arranged at an angle to the side bars, e, of the rack D, so that when the rack is unfolded or extended the shelves will lie in a horizontal plane, or approximately so.

The lower shelf of the folding section D of the rack D is provided with a catch, f, which fits over the outer face of one of the side walls of the lower case-section, O, and this catch may be of any preferred form or con struction, and serves to hold the rack and upper section of the case in proper position when they are unfolded to display the articles contained or held on the shelves of said rack. The outer edges of the shelves are beveled off or inclined, so as to lie in the plane of the side bars when the rack is extended, and the articles are secured or held on the shelves in any suitable manner, so as to prevent them from falling off the same when the rack is folded and unfolded.

To fold the rack to inclose the same within the case A, the lower section, D thereof is elevated out of contact with the lower casesection, 0, and said section D of the rack is folded under the upper section, D, thereof, and both of said sections are then forced within the inclosing-Walls of the upper case-section, 13, said rack being held therein by any suitable device and fitting snugly therein. To unfold the rack, the lower end of the section D is pulled out of the case-section B, said rack-section turning on its pivot in the casesection and carrying with it the section D which is then unfolded and the upper'seetion of the case adjusted so as to permit the catch fof the rack to engage the lower section of the case.

Any preferred means may be employed to hold the rack and top section, B, of the case in proper position when they are unfolded, and the case and rack may be ornamented and finished to any desired degree;

I am aware that it is not new to provide a chest with a lid and a series of trays held above and connected by levers with each other and the box and its lid; but such is not my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of a case having a folding top, a rack-section, D, pivoted to and carried by the top, and a similar rack-section, D pivoted to the fellow section and adapted to be folded parallel with and upon the section, D, or extended therefrom and rest upon the case, to support the folding top and the rack at an angle to the case, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of a case having a folding lid or cover hinged thereto, a rack-section, D, pivoted directly to and carried by the folding top, the rack-section D, hinged to the free end of the section D and adapted to be folded upon the same,and be inclosed wholly within the folding top or extended outwardly therefrom and rest upon the case, to support the rack and top at an angle thereto, and a retaining device, as f, carried by the back section, D to engage the case when the said section rests thereon, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of a case having a fold ing top and a sectional rack, hinged together and adapted to be folded upon or extended in line with each other, one of the sections being pivoted to and carried by the folding top, and each section liaving aseries of rigidlyheld shelves arranged transversely of and at an angle to the side bars of the rack, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK P. HARDEN.

\Vitnesses:

H. E. LADD, D. Goonsrnnn. 

